Butterfly and the Lamb is the made-to-order Melbourne label encouraging you to ‘wear your feelings’
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“We’ve managed to find a medium somewhere in between ‘sexy’ and ‘sensitive’.”
The idea for best friends Kabura Kikuyu and Angela Khoury’s womenswear label, Butterfly and the Lamb (B&L), was born from a FaceTime call. “It was completely spontaneous and also a long time coming,” Angela explains. Something about a casual video chat feels very fitting, given the nature of the pair’s designs.
Looking for more fashion news and features? Head to our Fashion section.
Emblazoned with phrases like ‘Are you mad at me?’ and ‘My vibe could bring back Christ’, Butterfly and the Lamb pieces feel personal – like sentences lifted from a personal diary or a conversation with a friend. Despite only launching in August of 2023, Angela and Kabura’s tongue-in-cheek, made-to-order separates sell out more often than not. Below, the two speak on the Butterfly and the Lamb journey so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
View this post on Instagram
Kabura: Hi! My name is Geraldine but I go by Kabura. I am the Co-founder of Butterfly and the Lamb and oversee operations in Melbourne. My experience in fashion began at a very young age, spending the majority of my time watching runway shows, studying fabrics and reading fashion magazines. I later went on to study at Billy Blue College and Whitehouse Institute of Design, but I decided to pursue other opportunities and left both courses before completing my degree.
Prior to B&L, I worked as a freelancer, focusing on web design, creative direction, styling and modelling. I’ve leveraged all of this experience and applied it to benefit the brand. I now work full-time at B&L, where I focus on conceptualizing designs, managing social media, styling, coordinating photoshoots and much more behind the scenes.
View this post on Instagram
Angela: Hi, I’m Angela! I’m Co-founder of Butterfly and the Lamb, and I’m currently residing in Sydney where I was born and raised, working part-time on the brand. Within my work, I really enjoy the hands-on creative elements which include [creating] concepts, behind-the-camera work, mood boarding, video and styling, to name a few.
Apart from B&L, I’m equally occupied by my role as a Buyer for a vintage store, where I spend hours of my day personally assessing and appraising peoples‘ pre-loved clothes. I’ve dabbled… in informal styling, personal shopping and modelling gigs, but I would say aside from B&L, one of my true hobbies is collecting vintage designer clothing.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
View this post on Instagram
A: Butterfly and the Lamb was born in August 2023, with two best friends on a FaceTime call. We were playing a game of ‘What animal would we be?’… and the name just came to me. It was completely spontaneous and also a long time coming. Garment printing has been a constant shared interest of ours, and over the past three years, I’ve put a lot of research into this method. It just made sense to partner up.
One of our biggest challenges has been keeping up with the customer demand. When we began it was all one-off, until we started to get an overwhelming interest in our products and had to quickly figure out product logistics to meet the demand. The equilibrium of quality, cost and sustainability is a tough balancing act for small, conscious businesses today.
View this post on Instagram
We’re also constantly navigating our best approach to ‘gifting’. Like other small brands we’re constantly tackled with messages regarding free products, and unfortunately, at the rate that we receive interest for this, it isn’t economical or a priority as we’re more interested in valuing our work than oversaturating the market.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
K: When the label was first established, it started as a side project for me, offering a way to earn extra income while pursuing my passion. Once I noticed the success of my efforts and the rapid growth of the brand, I realised I needed to take it seriously and thought, ‘Wow, I might have created something big here’.
View this post on Instagram
I am now working on elevating the brand to become a significant presence in the industry. I am striving to convey that our garments serve as a canvas for personal expression, where each piece tells a story.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
A: A culmination of sexy and elevated pieces with a soft-centred tone of passion, with prints inspired by universal feelings of pain, grief, and love (to name a few).
I personally draw a lot of inspiration from painful moments in my life. In doing a lot of writing and poetry for the brand, being able to turn my feelings into tangible and wearable forms of poetry, and seeing other people celebrate that with me without necessarily knowing that it’s my experience… it’s quite healing and affirming.
View this post on Instagram
For us, the brand goes beyond just garments. We’ve managed to find a medium somewhere in between ‘sexy’ and ‘sensitive’, which interestingly I feel are qualities that encapsulate both of our personalities. We’re creating wearable storytelling with our pieces, turning everyday fashion into a source of shared experiences, and vice versa.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
K: I take great pride in my commitment to the brand, evident through our growing social media presence. I have devoted significant effort to organizing photoshoots and scheduling consistent posts to help the brand expand as swiftly as possible. I’ve dedicated numerous hours to the brand, often staying up until 5am to print materials for either a photo shoot or a market. Despite the sacrifices, witnessing the brand evolve into a recognisable name has made it all worthwhile.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
View this post on Instagram
K: You don’t need to collaborate with everyone. In the beginning, we were keen to work with many people, but recently we realised that not everyone shares your best interests, and not every collaboration is necessary. Now, we prioritise understanding who we’re working with and fostering strong relationships because that’s when exceptional and genuine art is created.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
K: Living in Melbourne, I’m immersed in an incredible fashion and art scene. I’ve been admiring many talented designers, but I must say Karla Laidlaw stands out as one of the most exciting names in Australian fashion right now. Her intricate yet wearable designs are outstanding, and her thoughtfully curated store beautifully reflects her brand’s story. She’s definitely a designer to keep an eye on.
A: Karlaidlaw is also one of my favourites that I’ve been following for years. I’m also loving Raga Malak, they’ve been absolutely killing it. Their brand has really hit the floor running, and it’s very inspiring. Briar Will and All Is a Gentle Spring are also heavy on my radar.
What about the Australian fashion industry needs to change?
View this post on Instagram
K: The tall poppy syndrome phenomenon. This idea is that once you achieve success, people may criticise or undermine you. It’s something I’ve experienced personally, and I know it affects other creatives as well.
A: I’d personally love to see more Middle Eastern and Arab representation in fashion, and the creative industry more broadly. I think this is a huge gap in the industry right now. Unfortunately, we’re a pretty under-represented community that doesn’t get talked about as much as we should, and most of us come from domestic spaces where our families push academic success harder than their children’s passions.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
K: I’m currently in the process of decluttering my entire wardrobe to make room for some long-awaited vintage designer pieces. However, I plan to keep some notable brands I have like Marithé Francois, Diesel, Karlalaidlaw and Miss Sixty.
View this post on Instagram
A: I shop primarily secondhand and have a growing collection of European and Japanese vintage designer labels like Jean Paul Gaultier, Junya Watanabe and Prada… But some of my recent pickups have been from Maison Margiela, Frisson Knits and Dsquared2.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
K: At the moment, we have a temporary website and accept orders through Instagram. I’m also working on a new collection that will be featured on our upcoming permanent site – stay tuned!
Anything else to add?
K: I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone I’ve had the privilege of working with so far. Thank you to all the models who have championed our brand from the beginning and embraced our vision. I’m deeply appreciative of every connection, collaboration, and relationship that has uplifted our brand along the way.
To our incredible followers, thank you for your support. Every purchase you make truly makes a difference and we deeply appreciate each of you for being part of our story. Your belief in the brand keeps us inspired – thank you for being with us on this journey!
Follow Butterfly and the Lamb for more here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
